Folding tent structure



M. v. HERBERT ETAL 2,975,792

FOLDING TENT STRUCTURE March 21, 1961 S Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSMARJORIE V. HERBERT a BRUCE D HEISER BY 7% ATTORNEYS ON in Filed Oct. 3,1958 March 21, 1961 M. v. HERBERT ETAL FOLDING TENT STRUCTURE 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 3, 195

INVENTORS MARJORIE V HERBERT 8| D. HEISER ATTORNEYS M rch 21, 1961 M. v.HERBERT ETAL 2,975,792

FOLDING TENT STRUCTURE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5, 1958 INVENTORS V.HERBERT 8 BRUCE D. H SER l, Q "I" ATTORNEYS E R 0 J 5m M FIG. 8

'United rates ifatent FOLDING TENT STRUfLTURE V Marjorie V. Herbert,2201 Wichert Drive, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and Bruce D. Heiser, 3646 W.47th St., Cleveland, Ohio Filed Oct. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 765,106

4 Claims. (Cl. 135-4) The present invention relates to a foldabletentstructure. More particularly, the invention relates to a tent 7structure having a medially hinged frame, which may be easily foldedfrom an erected position or unfolded to an erected position, forsupporting a flexible tent top or cover having sides and a peaked roof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a foldable tentstructure of a kind particularly suited for use by children at play, andwhich may be easily folded into compact form from the erected positionwith little diificulty. It is a further object to provide a foldabletent structure which is easily transported or stored in the foldedcondition and can be erected by one person.

These and other objects of the invention, as well as the advantagesthereof, will be apparent in view of the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the foldable tent structure in erectedposition, the tent top being indicated in chain lines;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation of the structure in the positionof Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is atop plan view, taken substantially as indicated on line s 3of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view, taken substantially as indicated on line44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan section, taken substantially as indicated online 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section, taken substan- 4 tially asindicated on line 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a front view .of the tent structure folded as for storage; and

Fig. 8 is an end View of the folded tent structure.

The tent frame of the invention is indicated generally at 10. The tenttop or cover supported by the frame is of a conventional material, suchas nylon or canvas woven fabric, and is shown in chain lines in Fig. 1.

The tent frame 10 has an upper portion defined by reotangularly arrangedside and end cross members. The side cross members each have a medialhinge or hinge point for folding or unfolding of the tent frame. Theouter end of each side member carries a corner member. Roof members forproviding a peaked tent top are pivotally connected to each cornermember above a side member. Leg members for supporting the frame upperportion are pivotally connected to each corner member below a sidemember. A yoke member is carried on the outer end of each side memberbetween the hinge and a corner member. Each yoke is slidable on the sidemember and is connected to a roof and leg member. Means, preferably inthe form of cables and pulleys, are provided to simultaneously move eachyoke member when the side members are unfolded to extend thereof and legmembers in erected position.

. The tent frame 10 includes roof members 12, side cross frame members14 hinged at the middle for folding,

end cross frame members 16 and leg members 18. The roof, frame and legmembers (12, 14, 16 and 18) are preferably formed of aluminum tubing andinterconnect at four corner channel members 26. As shown in detail byFigs. 2 and 6, each channel 24 is elongated and has opposed flanges 21which are relatively wide in relation to the width of the channel Web22.

The roof members 12 and leg members 18 are secured in similar fashion tothe upper and lower ends, respectiveiy, of channel members 20. As bestshown in Fig. 6, the connected end of each member 12 and 18 is flattenedor pinched together as at 23 for insertion between flanges 21 of thechannel member. The flattened ends 23 are secured, as by a double-headrivet 24, within a bushing 25 to permit movement of members 12 and 18 inrelation to a channel member.

The outer end of each side cross frame member 14 is also flattened andadditionally provided with clevis ears as at 27, enclosing a small cablepulley 28. The member 14 is Secured as by a fiat head rivet 29, alsowithin a bushing 30, to permit rotation of pulley 28.

The end cross frame members 16, which are used for strengtheningpurposes and extend between channel members Zil, preferably haveflattened ends 31 which have been downturned and secured by rivets 31Aor welding to inner flanges 21 of opposite channel members 20.

At the corners of the tent frame 10, each roof member 12 and leg member18 are linked together for simultaneous movement by a yoke 32 slidablealong the outer end of each frame member 14. As best shown in Fig. 2, anelongated link 33 extends between a bracket 34 on top of yoke 32 and afastening pin 35 through a lower leg of a roof member 12. A similar link36 extends between another bracket 37, on the lower side of yoke 32, anda fastening pin 38 through the upper portion of leg member 18.

Above bracket 37, each yoke 32 has a third bracket 39 to which isattached the end of a cable length 40. At each end of a frame member 14,the cable 40 attached to bracket 39 is trained over and around pulley28. Both ends of the cable 40 are thus attached to a yoke 32 andtightening thereof Will slide the yokes along frame member 14.

' As shown, the frame member 14 has a hinge point indicated at 45 whichpermits a folding of the tent frame. On either side of hinge point 45,each frame member 14 has an upward or offset bend indicated at 42. Thecable 40 from each pulley 28 preferably passes through the hollow member14 to emerge through a slot 43 between bend 42 and the hinge point 45.

The cable 40 has sufficient length so that when the tent frame 10 is inthe folded condition of Fig. 7, with the yokes 32 having been moved to'their farthest position away from corner members 20, there will be atmost only a slight amount of slack in each cable length. This slack mayappear in the form of a loop indicated at 4%.

To unfold and erect the tent frame 16, the user would grasp oppositecorner members 20 and move them apart.

The frame members 14 will swing away from each other about hinge points45 and the slots 43 where the cables enter members 14 will move apart sothat the cables 40 will be drawn taut. As the cables 43 tighten, theyokes 32 slide toward the corner members 2%. Such movement will extendthe leg and roof members and when the frame members 14 are finally movedinto alignment,

the leg and roof members will be in the erected condition of Fig. 1. Ifdesired, a stop pin 41 may be inserted through each side in member 14 tolimit movement of the yokes 32 toward the corner members 20.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the hinge point 45 is actually a pin 46.Fittedon each frame member 14, inwardly of the cable slot 43, aresimilar hinge members 47, each 6 having an ear flange 48. The flanges 48are aligned and fastened together by the pivot pin 46. Below pin 46,each hinge member 47 has a-cooperative lock flange 50 which is used tosecure the frarnemembers 14 in the erected position. it is necessaryonly to grasp the hinge members 47 and disengage the lock flanges 50.

The tent frame constructed as described above is particularly suited foruse by children at play,-is light in Weight, may be readily stored andmay be'unfolded or folded with minimum effort. The above describedconstruction is preferred; however, changes andmodifications may suggestthemselves. Such changes and modifications should be considered withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A folding tent frame comprising, an upper generally rectangularportion when erected including interconnecting side, end and cornermembers, said side members being hinged at their central portions topermit said frame to be foldable into a compact form, roof membersconnected to the upper end of each corner member,

leg members connected to the lower end of each corner member, a yokemember slidable on each side member between said hinged portion and acorner member, links connecting each yoke member to a roof and legmember, and means to simultaneously move each yoke member toward acorner member when said side members are,

unfolded. I

,2. A folding tent frame comprising, an upper portion defined byinterconnecting side, end and corner members, said side members beinghinged at their central portions to permit said frame to be foldableinto a compact form, roof members connected to the upper end of eachcorner member, leg members connected to the lower end of each cornermember, a yoke member slidable on each side member between said hingedportion anda corner member, links connecting each yoke member .to a roofand To unlock the tent frame for folding,

leg member, and means to simultaneously move each yoke member toward acorner member when said side members are unfolded.

3. A folding tent frame comprising, an upper portion defined byinterconnecting side, end and corner members, said side members beinghinged at their central portions to permit said frame to be foldableinto a compact form, roof members connected to the upper end of eachcorner member, leg members connected to the lower end of each cornermember, a yoke member'slidable on each side member between said hingedportion and a corner member, links connecting each yoke member to a roofand leg member, and cable means to simultaneously move each yoke membertoward a corner member when said side members are unfolded.

4. A folding tent frame comprising, an upper portion defined byinterconnecting side, end and corner members, said side membersbeinghinged at their central portions to permit said frame to befoldable into a compact form, roof members connected. to the upper endof each corner member, leg members connected to the lower end of eachcorner member, a yokemember slidable on each side member between saidhinged portion and a corner member, links connecting each yoke member toa roof and leg.-member, and cable means extending through saidsidemembers and connecting the yoke members at opposite ends thereof tosimultaneously move each yoke member toward a corner member when saidside anembers are unfolded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

